US2377131A - Muscle kneading and massaging device - Google Patents

Description

May 29, 1945. s L. CONRAD 2 ,377,131

MUSCLE KNEADING AND MASSAGING DEVICE Filed July 2a. 1945 V v In van for JAMUfL L CONRAD flttorn ey Patented May 29, 1945 i I MUSCLE KNEADING AND MASSAGING JDEVICE s men act ess, Columbus, ohi 1 Application July 26,

1 Claim.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to muscle kneading and massaging devices.

There are many exercising, kneadingand-massaging devices and machines forvarious uses and purposes. Some are in the nature of more orless complicated apparatus or equipment andsome 'are for a number of purposes. Many are formuscular development or special'muscular training. some are forcorrection of physical defects or deformities. Others: are forrelief or alleviation of pains, aches, soreness and other suffering. 'I'hepresent invention provides a very simp1e,-'c,ompact. and inexpensive: device particularly, designed to treat. foot and leg. musclesto relieve soreness, aches and painsin those muscles and tendons and, at the same: time, .to provide-a device for easy. home use by the individual so that a user, on arriving at home, while still enduring the pain and discomfort, may haveimmediate relief by simply, slipping off; his shoes and immediatelyusing the invention. It is so.

constructed and arranged that any one can apply and use, itquickly andeasily after the firstsimple explanation or demonstration, I

Inorder tomore clearly disclose the construction, operatiomand useof theinvention, refers enga: should be had to :the. accompanying drawings, forming :partof. thislapplication.

Throughout the severalfigures of :the drawings,-

nt en s t at t ay b ad en e yo wo r Atthepresent time that is economically importantbecause all metalused for such devices is now. classed a as critical material needed, for

war purposes. All metal parts. shown ,in the.

drawings orotherwise referred to-in this, application may be readily substituted withwood. vThat, f eurl aa slu ss t in s eo n i r pivots through the. ends of the swinging members and into the adjacent portion, ofthe base could.

readily serve the samepurposeand produce a.

corresponding result. Since such substitutionsv ctieally. obvious and a matter, of ordinary nef ess ary nerxdesirable;to illustrate an I hBm-l Furthermore. such, unn e sary nd add ti a r-- woodw rkin sk l it is neit er.

1943,- Serial No. 496,133 I I illustration and corresponding description would merely increasethe record of the case with" no justifying advantage. It will be understood, of?

course, that any other suitable material m'ay be used.

Referring to the drawings in. detail; I indicates asimple fiat one-piece base, preferably of rec tan lar shape and of any suitable thickness. Although any suitable material may be used,

Wood is preferable as readi y obtainable, light weight, economical, readily workable and not.

classed as a critical material, at this time. For

easily carryingand handling the device, a handle 2 may be provided at one end. In the position shown, it provides the simplest and easiest carryhandle. Itcould, of course, be placed at the op posite end, or at one sideor at' various. other points. And, of course, a handheld could b cut in or through the base at that or at any other point desired, and serve the same, purpose;

Near one end of base I is pivoted an open frame comprising two side bars 3 and connecting cross.

rods], the connecting rods being respectively near the opposite ends of bars 3... Bars 3 are. shown. of substantially the same length as base I and that is the preferred arrangement. Here, again, although anysuitable material may be used, wood is preferred for the reasons given. While simple standard wood hinges 5 are shown as the con-f nections between the frame members and base, any other pivotal connections between those parts may be used. Instead of standard wood hin es, for instance, wooden pivot pins or pintles could readily be substituted in well known manner.

Rods 4 have been shown as simple metal rods When col with nuts to properly space the bars. lapsed, the free ends of bars 3 and the adjacent end of base I are in the same plane andform the handle 2 at the top.

" are rollers 6 and I of any suitablematerial, pre-.-

roller 1 is concave.

1 for desired adjustment. 651:. ingsritis y in the mid-way position, relatively 1 a narrow base on which the device may be conveniently stood upright, vertically or erect, with Between bars 3 and freely revoluble on rods. 4'

the other roller or in the middle or second of the holes.

A second and somewhat shorter frame comprising bars 8 and a connecting cross rod 9 is similarly pivotally connected to the opposite end of base I Here, again, the hinge connection 5 may be of wood as may, also the cross rod 9. The free ends of bars 8 are angled or bevelled to selectively seat in corresponding cooperating V-notches ID in the lower edges of the respective side bars 3. As will be clearly seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the

bars 8 are beneath bars 3 or between them and base I. They act as a prop or a support to maintain bars 3 and their rollers 6 and l in any one of several selected positions according to the so proportioned that the rollers will be spaced a distance approximately equal to the distance between the arch and calf of the average adult. Likewise, it will be understood that the supporting and propping frame comprising the parts 8 and 9 is of such length as to give the roller carrying frame the desired inclination, when seated in one or another of the respective notches 10.

Of course, for abnormally short and abnormally long legs, the size of the device would be correspondingly shortened or lengthened, as will be well understood, and the respective proportions of the parts would be, accordingly changed particular adjustment desired by the particular v user. Thus, in the position of Fig, 2, for instance, they support bars 3 and rollers 6 and 1 in the position shown. In that position, the device may be placed in front of a chair in which a user is seated. With the shoe removed, the user's foot. if an average adult, will, be placed on the lower or convexed roller. Then the calf of the le will fall on the concave roller near the upper end of the roller carrying frame. By seating bars 8 in different notches l0, bars 3 may be raised or lowered to give the height and inclination, or position of adjustment, desired and most acceptable to and by the particular or individual user. When so adjusted it will be positively and firmly supported in such. adjusted position as lon as desired against the weight and movement of the user. And by moving the axis of the convex roller toward or from the concave roller, the rollers may be selectively spaced for different leg lengths, in using the device.

In use, the calf is simply moved back and forth over roller 1, in a direction lengthwise of the bars 3. At the same time, as the foot reaches roller 6, it is rocked radially across, on and around the convex surface of that roller. It will be noticed that the surfaces of the rollers are complementary to the surfaceson which they are to be used and that is the preferred relation. As to the arch of the foot, however, a cylindrical roller or, even, roller 1 may be used, though that is not preferred. The calf of the leg is wide compared to the arch of the foot. The arch of the foot presents a relatively narrow'band. So,

the band of corresponding width at the low point of the concave could be used acceptably on the arch of the foot.

Using both rollers for arches, as above indicated, .the device would be collapsed as in Fig. 2.

and placed between two chairs of users. Each user could then apply the arch of his foot to the roller nearest him, as will be readily understood. In. that way, two people could use the device simultaneously.

At this point, it may be stated that for convenience and security in handling and carrying, the device may be definitely maintained collapsed by small hooks i l on the sides of bars 8, engagingin corresponding eyes l2 on the sides of bars 3, making a perfectly flat compact unit with no projectingparts. Various wooden securing devices may be substituted withequally satisfactory results. As will be seen, when'secured in this collapsed relation, the device may be readily stood up, on end, with the handle at the top and the hook' and eye fastening will maintain the flat package form, thereby making it practicable for the upright position to be held, which would not be practicable except in such package formation.

It is hardly necessary to state that the parts are radially beyond the side bars 3.

as to sizes and shapes.

On reference to Figs. 2 and 4, especially 4, it will be clear that the rollers 6 and 1 project Consequently, when collapsed, as in said Figs. 2 and 4 and turned upside down as in Fig. 4, rollers 6 and I enga e the floor or other supporting surface and act as furniture casters for the device so that it may be easily and quickly rolled where desired.

In describing the invention reference has been made to its use for relieving foot and calf soreness and troubles. While the device has been especially developed for foot and calf troubles, it is not limited to such uses. It may be applied to the arm, back, side or any other part of the anatomy desired by the user.

It is simply constructed, low in cost, easily and quickly set up for use, requires the minimum of instruction for use, is always available for use in the home when and where needed, is compact for carrying and very easily moved to any place where it may be needed.

It is thought that the construction, operation and use of the invention will be clear from the preceding detailed description.

Many changes may be made in the construction, arrangement and disposition of the several parts of the invention, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the field of the invention and it is meant to include all such within this application.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A device of the character described comprising a base, a frame of slightly greater length than that of the lower leg of the average adult and swingingly mounted at onev end on and in spaced relation to said base and, in collapsed position, lying parallel to and spaced from said base, a second frame independent of the first frame, swingly mounted at one end on the aforesaid base, said mounting being at the opposite end of the base relative to the mounting of the first frame on said base, said second frame, in collapsed position, lying parallel with and on said base and between said base and the first mentioned'frame, said second frame supporting said first frame in operative position, two massaging rollers journaled directly in said first frame, bodily immovable relatively to said first frame, each in close proximity to the respective end of said frame and said rollers being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the length of the lower leg of the average adult, said space between said rollers being clear for positioning and movement of the users leg, means for selectively securing one of said rollers in adjusted positions relatively to the other of said rollers, and means carried by said second frame and engaging means carried by said first frame, securing said frames and base in parallel, compact, collapsed relation.

SAMUEL L. CONRAD.

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